Women and the 2005 election in Liberia* | The Journal of Modern African Studies | Cambridge Core The Journal of Modern African Studies 10 Crossref Citations This article has been cited by the following publications. This list is generated based on data provided by CrossRef . Adams, Melinda Scherpereel, John and Jacob, Suraj 2016. The Representation of Women in African Legislatures and Cabinets: An Examination with Reference to Ghana. Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, Vol. 37, Issue. 2, p. 145. Google Scholar Amoateng, Acheampong 2015. THE END OF POLITICS BY THEYOUTH? HIGHER EDUCATION, YOUTH IDENTITY AND RECESSION OFPOLITICAL PARTICIPATION BY SOUTH AFRICA'S ‘BORN-FREES’:1THE CASE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY. International Journal of African Renaissance Studies - Multi-, Inter- and Transdisciplinarity, Vol. 10, Issue. 1, p. 102. View all Google Scholar citations for this article.

Scopus Citations Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University Published online: 01 May 2009 Abstract ABSTRACT In 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf defeated George Weah to become President of Liberia and the first woman elected to head an African country. Women voters were widely credited with her victory. This paper quantifies this claim by analysing newspaper content during the election period to gauge civil society group activity. It finds that consistency in their activities may have allowed women's groups to surpass other civil society groups in impacting the election. Activity levels of women's groups remained stable between the election and run-off periods, unlike other major group types whose activity level dropped by between 37% and 70%. It concludes that the environment surrounding the 2005 election was conducive to participation by women because of their existing, latent power in many spheres; their long experience as peacebuilders; the decimation of conventional social and political structures; Liberian women's experience in leadership positions; the failure of multiple male-dominated efforts; and the presence of a well-qualified female candidate.

Hide All * Special thanks to Verlon Stone of the Liberian Collections Project at Indiana University for making available the materials used in this study, and for his comments. Thanks also to Amos Sawyer for his encouragement, review and advice; and to Xavier Basurto, Shelley-Jean Bradfield, Michael Cox, Thomas Evans and Maria Claudia Lopez Perez for their thoughtful input. Footnotes * Special thanks to Verlon Stone of the Liberian Collections Project at Indiana University for making available the materials used in this study, and for his comments. Thanks also to Amos Sawyer for his encouragement, review and advice; and to Xavier Basurto, Shelley-Jean Bradfield, Michael Cox, Thomas Evans and Maria Claudia Lopez Perez for their thoughtful input. Linked references AfricaBib | Women and the 2005 election in Liberia Women and the 2005 election in Liberia Author: women's organizations Abstract: In 2005, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf defeated George Weah to become President of Liberia and the first woman elected to head an African country. Women voters were widely credited with her victory. This paper quantifies this claim by analysing newspaper content during the election period to gauge civil society group activity.

It finds that consistency in their activities may have allowed women's groups to surpass other civil society groups in impacting the election. Activity levels of women's groups remained stable between the election and run-off periods, unlike other major group types whose activity level dropped by between 37 percent and 70 percent. The paper concludes that the environment surrounding the 2005 election was conducive to participation by women because of their existing, latent power in many spheres; their long experience as peacebuilders; the decimation of conventional social and political structures; Liberian women's experience in leadership positions; the failure of multiple male-dominated efforts; and the presence of a well-qualified female candidate. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract] Articles published in November, 2005 Holding Entrusted Authority Accountable: An Update on the Probable Misapplication of State Funds at the LPRC (A Press Statement Issued By TheCenter for the Democratic Empowerment (CEDE) on November 29, 2005) The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.

Kahlil Gibran (The Prophet)Khalil Gibran, a Lebanese Philosopher, was born in 1883. He moved to New York in 1912 and devoted himself to writing and painting. He died in 1931. This great thinker and the phrase above got me thinking about the behavior of state functionaries in our country. I am specifically referring to the behavior of the Management of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company, who happen to believe that they have the inalienable right to misapply state money and the rest of the populace must simply look the other way. Law to possess Jeeps: Interim Legislators’ shameless act (By Wellington Nyema-Toe Newton) It is grossly shameful and is criminal for the interim national legislators to pass a law giving them personal ownership of vehicles purchased for their official use. They even overturned the interim president’s veto- one of the few manly acts the interim president has done. (Observations of His Surrogate Mother) (By Alice M. Johnson) If Sumowuoi David Pewu of Fort Worth, Texas, were alive today, I believe he would have already written a forthright commentary on the recent Liberian elections process and its outcome.

There would have been plenty of discussion at home about it and the phones would have been in use - non-stop. It would not have surprised us if he had already made plans to go to Liberia for while to work with the new government. Ambassador Weah, Please Accept the Election Result (By Gayah Fahnbulleh) Fellow Liberians, there is an old Chinese adage that says, " A million mile journey begins with the first step. In this case, it was the elections. Even though the elections are over, the conclusion of legislative and presidential elections do not ultimately translate them into lasting peace. The obtainment of peace is a long and enduring process that requires genuine commitment and tolerance to nationhood. Please Do The Honorable Thing, Weah (By Wellington Newton) I am adding my voice to the many calls for George Weah and his supporters to concede in the interest of peace. This is the right and honorable thing to do.

Karter Urges CDC to Concede Defeat (Forum) (By: Obadiah Karnah, II) A resident of Besely Drive Stone Mountain in Atlanta Georgia, USA, says he is impressed with the conduct of the first and second rounds of the post-war presidential elections in the West African state of Liberia. Who Is The Grassrooter? (Forum) (By: Kaazogon-gbay Geekan) Since the possibility of a presidential run-off election between George Weah and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf become apparent, a new language crept into the vocabulary of “sidewalk intellectuals” and “Hatai politicians.” As a member of this new breed of informal parliamentarians, Int’l Election Observers Declare Run-off Credible (Forum) (By: Lewis K. Glay) Several international election observers who witnessed Liberia’s run-off election have declared the process as being free, fair and orderly thus putting the country on the path of genuine peace and stability. Criminal Charges Hang Over George Weah? (By Sonkarley T. Beaie) The news from Liberia after the November 8 run-off election between Weah and Sirleaf is very worrisome and I kindly ask Mr.

Weah to give peace a chance by accepting the results which had been described as free, fair and transparent by observers. George Manneh Weah: Give It Up (By Winsley S. Nanka) The November 11, 2005 edition of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported that defeated Liberian presidential candidate, Mr. George Manneh Weah, has challenged the result of the November 8, 2005 run-off presidential election, indicating that the election was rigged in favor of Mrs. Johnson-Sirleaf. “Putting Liberia First - An Appeal To Ambassador Weah” (By Coker A. J. George) On one of our several meetings with President Tolbert, he said: “Mr. George, I told Mrs. Tolbert, that beside God, nothing comes before Liberia. He continued, I put Liberia first in all that I do. It was on the occasion when the Minister of Agriculture had requested that I be relieved from serving as General Manager of his Wiloria Estate in Bellefana, Bong County in order to pursue graduate studies in Soil Science. Dr. Tolbert asked me, “Mr.

George, what do you have to say?” Now We Know The Real George Manneh Weah: A True Unifier Or Confusionist? (By Michael B. Bull) Prior to the 2005 Electioneering campaign in Liberia, many Liberians from diverse political and social backgrounds crowded the field for the presidency. After continuous public out cry, the politicians narrowed the crowd to 22 candidates. CDC Demonstrates An Appeal to Ambassador Weah to be Magnanimous and Concede Defeat (Issued By The National Communications and Strategy Committee UP (USA)) We wish to congratulate the candidates, the NEC and the Liberian people for conducting themselves in an appropriate and professional manner in service to the country and the democratic process during the November 8, 2005 run-off election. Give Peace A Chance:Open Letter to King George (Weah) & Supporters (Peter A. Davis) As a Liberian residing in the United States like many others, I have quietly been following developments in our country, and have been very impressed with the elections (the October 11 and Nov. 4 Run-off).

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf: Looking Strong in Early Results Liberians voted quietly yesterday in the runoff election in a bid to choose a leader who will resurrect the country after 14 years of brutal civil conflict that destroyed this West African country. Turnout was not as good as in the October 11 elections. The runoff is between soccer legend George Weah and Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf otherwise known as the “Iron Lady”. Leadership for a Nation in Crisis: Liberia (By: Abraham James) The Liberian nation is at a major crossroads, and Liberians are being called upon to select one of two candidates to provide effective presidential leadership beginning this January. The nation is in crisis and needs a leader with crisis management abilities. Let The Best Player Have The #1 Jersey – The Presidency (By Coker A. J. George, Jr.) We join thousands of Liberians in the USA, and the Diaspora in congratulating you for the well disciplined and civilized manner displayed in the exercise of your franchise during the first of the presidential and vice presidential elections. Liberia Needs More Than ‘Common Sense’ For Its Reconstruction (Wollor E.

Topor) I read the FrontPageAfrica.com interview with presidential candidate Ambassador George Weah in which he gave emphasis to his ability in using ‘common sense’ in the rebuilding of war-torn Liberia. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, ‘common sense’ is “the habit of the first principle.” No one doubts Hon. Weah’s natural logic in developing Liberia. God has seen it fit to endow each creature with talent or power commensurate to its nature. More Support For Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf As Liberians prepare to elect a new leader at this crucial juncture of our political history, it is worth emphasizing how utterly important this decision is. Although this may seem as just a political decision, it actually encompasses the totality of our social, economic and political well-being. Boye Charles: A Lier In Disguise? (By D. Zeogar Wilson) I was appalled by a story from Mr. Josephus Moses Gray, posted to The Perspective Website dated November 2, 2005, Captioned “George Weah Linked To Rebel Group MODEL By Two Lone Star Players” . According to Mr.

Gray, Messrs Dionysius Sebwe and Jonathan Sogbe on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 appeared on the 50-50 talk show of Sky 107 FM and stated, amongst other things, that Ambassador George Manneh Weah was a supported of the disbanded rebel group “Movement for democracy in Liberia (MODEL)”, –Accuses America of Supporting Ellen What appears to be a budge in political alliance to change Liberia’s close ties with Washington seems to be surfacing as the Standard-bearer of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), George Weah, has reportedly found European godfathers as his backbone to develop Liberia should he win the presidency. George Weah Linked To Rebels Group MODEL By Two Lone Star Players (By Josephus Moses Gray) It has been revealed that George Weah, a flag-bearer of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and one of the two presidential candidates in the November 8 run off election, is a supporter of the disbanded rebel group-Movement for democracy in Liberia (MODEL). But Mr. Weah has vehemently reacted to the allegations, saying that all are propaganda against him, and should not be taken for granted.

George Weah Pulls Out Of Political Debate, Disappoints Thousands of Liberians (By Josephus Moses Gray) The much awaited and final round of a live presidential debate between the two frontrunners in the first round of Liberia’s post-war elections, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Sports Ambassador George We has been abruptly put off by the organizers –the International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) owing to the inability of Amb. Weah to live up to his commitment to show up for the intellectual thought provocative political showdown. Why the E.U. Concept of Development in Liberia is Dangerous? (By Moses Geply) The economic history of nations, developed and now emerging economies in Asia such as South Korea and the new economic superpower, China and even Botswana in Africa, shows that such vibrant economies were never built solely by foreigners but through true patriotic and nationalist leaderships of those countries. In the Middle-East similar facts of world history have taught us that pre-war industrialized Iraq...

Liberians Must Choose Unity Over Division (By Edith Gongloe-Weh) Liberia’s political landscape is again fearfully gearing for self-destruction in spite of the current deplorable condition of the country and the polarization of tribal groups, if it is true that Mr. Weah, with the advice of his political strategists, has promised to “wipe the tears of Grand Gedeans”. Last Chance, Last Hope! - Many Prefer Ellen (Forum) With the November poll just a stone’s throw away in the face of what is called “choosing the lesser of two evils” several Liberians are beginning to take a glimpse at the writing on the wall of the international community and therefore guiding themselves to make a choice that would be a lasting solution for Liberia’s compounded problems. Let’s Read the Writing on the Wall (Forum) THE RUN-OFF election which is expected to introduce the war weary people of Liberia to a new day and a new political dispensation regarding vibrant democracy and emancipation from the state of poverty, ignorance and disease among other national destructive vices takes place on November 8 with the Unity Party and the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) flag bearers, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Mr.

George Oppong Weah expected to stand the poll for proper evaluation and final selection. Sectarian Politics: Its Danger to Our Fledging Democracy (Forum) Liberia is today going through new political dispensation as the people continue to demonstrate their democratic rights in electing their leaders in the ongoing election. But be as it may there appears to be political venom: Congo-native sentiment that is rearing its ugly head in our political landscape by certain politicians. Liberian ex-footballer George Weah to run for president again ▷ Tuko.co.ke Tweet it! Share on Facebook Send via email - Liberian ex-footballer George Weah has announced his intention of running for president of Liberia for a second time in 2017 - Former Footballer of the Year and AC Milan star is a senator in Liberia and ran unsuccessfully for President in 2005,when he was defeated in a run-off election to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - He played for top European clubs including AC Milan, Chelsea, Man City and Paris Sainte Germaine and was crowned FIFA player of the year in 1995 Former Liberian footballing legend George Weah has announced that he will run for president of Liberia for a second time.

Mr Weah, who plied his trade at Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Chelsea, was the highest-ranking African footballer in Fifa’s list of greatest players of the 20th century. His previous presidential bid, in 2005, didn't breakthrough as he was defeated by current president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Nobel Prize winner. Liberian hero star and presidential candidate George Weah casts his vote in November 2005 at a polling station in Monrovia Sirleaf second term in office ends in 2017 and under the country’s constitution she cannot vie again. READ ALSO: Atletico Madrid stun Pep Guardiola’s Bayern in Champions League semis He belongs to opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) party. Announcing his presidential bid in Monrovia, he said that he had been a “victim of poverty”, and said he would boost vocational education which will fight poverty. He first held a moment of silence in memory of the thousands of people who died of Ebola in 2015. See George Wear goal when AC Milan was tackling Verona. A leading research organisation has recently rated Mr Weah’s performance in the Senate as unconvincing.

Party members from across Liberia presented a petition asking him to go for the seat, saying they believed he was the man “to solve Liberia’s numerous problems”. He pledged to increase the national budget, work towards religious harmony, and support vocational education. To wild applause, he said: “God is with us, and hope is alive.” +6 George Weah celebrates winning the FA cup with Chelsea club captain Dennis Wise in 2000. The footballer is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of the 20 century and became a UN goodwill ambassador before he finished his footballing career. Currently, he is a senator of his home province of Montserrado, which includes the capital Monrovia, where he grew up in the slums of Clara Town. Photo and Video Credit: and Related Stories Ex-football star Weah in new bid to be Liberian president Liberia | 28 April 2016 21:00 CET Ex-football star Weah in new bid to be Liberian president By AFP Previous | Next Liberian politician and ex-footballer George Weah attends the UEFA Champions league match PSG vs FC Barcelona in Paris on April 15, 2015.

By Martin Bureau (AFP/File) Monrovia (AFP) - Former international football star George Weah on Thursday said he would be a candidate in next year's presidential elections in Liberia -- his second bid for the post. "I want to tell all CDCians to be hopeful. This is our time," he said, referring to the opposition Congress for Democratic Change. "I am declaring today my intention to be President of Liberia. I know Liberians believe in me. I am ready to deliver", he told AFP at his home in Monrovia, before heading to CDC headquarters where thousands of supporters were waiting for him to officially announce his candidacy. Weah, 49, was a candidate in the 2005 presidential elections, when he was defeated by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. In 2011, he ran as a vice presidential candidate under Winston Tubman, who lost to Sirleaf. As Sirleaf is ineligible to stand for a third term under Liberia's constitution, Weah is expected to face her vice president, Joseph Boakai, 71.

Idolised in his home country, "Mister George" as he is known, was elected a senator for the western province of Montserrado, which includes Monrovia, in December 2014, soundly defeating Robert Sirleaf, a son of the president. Before entering politics he was a star of football clubs such as Paris Saint Germain and AC Milan. In 1995, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year and winner of the Europe's Ballon d'Or, becoming the first African player to win both titles. Liberia | Country report | Freedom in the World | 2006 Freedom in the World 4 Ratings Change: Liberia's political rights rating improved from 5 to 4 due to the holding of fair and competitive elections for the presidency and legislature. Overview: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf defeated former international soccer star George Weah in November 2005 to become Africa's first elected female president. Weah challenged the results of the election, triggering fears that former fighters who voted for him would resort to violence. International observers judged the concurrent polls for the presidency and National Assembly to be free and fair.

Liberia was settled in 1821 by freed slaves from the United States and became an independent republic in 1847. Americo-Liberians, descendants of the freed slaves, dominated the country until 1980, when army sergeant Samuel Doe led a bloody coup and murdered President William Tolbert. Doe's regime concentrated power among members of his Krahn ethnic group and suppressed other groups. Forces led by former government minister Charles Taylor and backed by the Gio and Mano ethnic groups-which had been subjected to severe repression-launched a guerrilla war from neighboring Cote d'Ivoire against the Doe regime on Christmas Eve 1989. In 1990, Nigeria, under the aegis of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led an armed intervention force, preventing Taylor from seizing the capital but failing to protect Doe from being captured and tortured to death by a splinter rebel group. A peace accord in 1996 led to elections in 1997, which Taylor won.

However, his victory was more reflective of a vote for peace than for a particular ideology, as many people believed that the only way to stop the war was to elect Taylor president. Fourteen years of intermittent civil war in Liberia brought fighting to three neighboring countries and claimed 200,000 lives in Liberia alone. The peace accord, however, was not entirely effective. Long-standing grievances were not resolved, and Taylor made little effort to seek genuine reconciliation. Many of his rivals were forced to flee the country. Some formed the rebel Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and used neighboring Guinea as a staging ground from which to launch their rebellion against Taylor. With rebels poised to overrun the capital and the United States calling for him to step down, Taylor resigned in August 2003 and accepted Nigeria's offer of asylum. Taylor's departure from Liberia stopped the war almost immediately. ECOWAS helped negotiate an end to the fighting between Taylor's forces, the LURD, and the rebel Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL). West African peacekeepers became part of a 15,000-strong UN-led force that oversaw disarmament and demobilization.

Human rights abuses abated considerably following the ceasefire, but some violations have continued, especially in the countryside. Delegates to the peace talks in 2003 chose businessman Gyude Bryant as Liberia's interim president. He and a transitional National Assembly ruled the country until the 2005 elections. Twenty-two candidates contested the presidency in the first round of voting in October 2005. Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) candidate George Weah, who had risen from the slums of Monrovia to become a local hero as an international soccer player, won 28.3 percent, followed by Harvard-educated economist and Unity Party (UP) candidate Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf with 19.8 percent. Lawyer Charles Brumskine came in third with 13.9 percent, and Winston Tubman, a former UN special envoy, finished fourth with 9.4 percent. Turnout was nearly 75 percent, including a substantial number of women. In the November runoff, Johnson-Sirleaf captured 59.4 percent of the vote, compared with 40.6 percent for Weah.

Weah registered a challenge with the National Electoral Commission over the fairness of the vote, and there were fears that some of the former fighters who supported him would resort to widespread violence. Chanting "No Weah, no peace," militant Weah supporters clashed with UN peacekeepers in Monrovia. Dozens of parties contested the concurrent legislative polls. Twelve parties, including those of former warlords, were voted into office, as well as a handful of independents. Weah's CDC won 18 seats-the highest number for one party; Sirleaf's UP captured 11 seats. A report by the London-based research group Global Witness in June 2005 accused Taylor of controlling or helping to finance several of the political parties contesting the 2005 elections. He has been charged with war crimes by the UN- and U.S.-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone for allegedly helping arm Sierra Leonean rebels in exchange for diamonds. Efforts by international human rights groups to convince Nigeria to hand him over to the court have been unsuccessful.

Johnson-Sirleaf, who backed Taylor during his initial invasion of Liberia in 1990, spent time in prison under Doe and lived in exile in Cote d'Ivoire during much of the 1990s. In September, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group said that Liberia could slide back into war by the end of the decade unless the international community made a long-term commitment to help rebuild the country and serious efforts were made to fight corruption. The group maintained that "anything less than full commitment to reintegration and reconstruction in Liberia will most likely contribute to a new, wider conflict" that could envelop neighboring countries. Indeed, Liberia's stability is not guaranteed. The nation faces daunting challenges under its new government, including changing a culture of impunity, rehabilitating the justice system, and rebuilding the country's infrastructure. The nation lacks electricity, running water, a functioning educational system, and proper medical facilities. Political Rights and Civil Liberties: Citizens of Liberia can change their government democratically. Presidential and legislative elections were held in October 2005. In the first round of voting for the presidency, 22 candidates participated. Hundreds of international observers determined that the vote was free and fair.

The country's legislature consists of the 30-member Senate and 64-member House of Representatives; senators serve nine-year terms, and representatives, six. Johnson-Sirleaf has said that fighting corruption, which has been at the root of many of the country's problems, will be a main goal of her administration. In June, the UN Security Council extended a ban on the export of diamonds and timber by Liberia for another six months on the grounds that the transitional government had failed to improve transparency. A three-year antigraft plan-the Governance and Economic Management Assistance Plan (GEMAP)-was drawn up for the new government by international donors. It aims to install foreign experts in key rev-enue-generating institutions, such as the port, airport, customs office, and forestry commission, for an initial term of three years. Western governments have warned Liberia that funding for reconstruction will be withheld if corruption is not addressed. Liberia was ranked 137 out of 159 countries surveyed in Transparency International's 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index. Liberia's independent media have survived despite extensive self-censorship during the civil war. Employees suffered from constant surveillance, harassment, threats, detentions, and beatings.

The country's independent media are now thriving. Several private newspapers are published, and there are at least five FM radio stations, including Radio Veritas, the shortwave station of the Roman Catholic Church. Star Radio, which is backed by the Swiss-based Hirondelle Foundation, began broadcasting again in 2005 after Taylor shut it down five years earlier; it has both local and shortwave broadcasts. Nearly two-dozen newspapers publish in Monrovia with varying degrees of regularity. Call-in radio talk shows are popular and frequently feature both government and opposition viewpoints. There are three local television stations. Religious freedom is respected in practice. Muslims have been targeted in the past because many Mandingos, who were a key ethnic component of the LURD, follow Islam. The government does not restrict academic freedom. Freedom of assembly is guaranteed and respected, although authorities in 2005 banned demonstrations ahead of the elections to thwart potential violence. The transitional government in January imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the port town of Harper following two days of riots related to a suspected outbreak of ritual killings. Numerous civil society groups, including human rights organizations, operate in the country.

The right to strike, organize, and bargain collectively is permitted by law, but there is little union activity because of the lack of economic activity. Forced labor exists in rural areas, and child labor is widespread. Civil servants in July went on a three-day strike to demand 18 months of salary arrears. Some of the money that was to be used to pay them went instead to buy Jeep vehicles for politicians in the transitional National Assembly, according to the country's budget director. The judiciary is subject to executive influence, corruption, and intimidation by security forces, which operate with impunity. New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) in September said corruption and the absence of functioning courtrooms, prosecutors, and public defenders were fostering impunity in Liberia. The rights group stated that if a return to armed conflict is to be avoided, the new government must ensure that those responsible for past atrocities are brought to justice and that human rights abusers are kept out of the police, army, and civil service. In some rural areas where the judiciary has not been reestablished, clan chieftains administer criminal justice through the traditional practice of trial-by-ordeal. Authorities in the Netherlands in March arrested and charged a Dutch businessman with war crimes and smuggling weapons.

Guus van Kouwenhoven, a close Taylor associate, managed a timber company and five-star hotel in Liberia. International human rights groups had campaigned against his activities, saying he was a key player in the instability in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Human rights workers have been allowed access to prisons, where conditions are harsh and sometimes life-threatening. Arbitrary detention and brutality by the police are problems. The police force is being restructured under the 2003 peace accord. New recruits have been trained by the United Nations, but HRW said there were problems in the vetting and removal of rights abusers from the force. As part of the peace accord, a new national army is being formed. However, it will have only 2,000 soldiers-half as many as originally planned-because of funding shortages. In June 2005, soldiers looted their barracks in Monrovia to protest salary arrears. HRW said in April that West African mercenaries, including Liberians, would continue to fuel regional conflicts unless they were provided an alternative livelihood. Societal ethnic discrimination is rife. Ethnic groups fought one another during the civil war.

Tensions exist between the Krahn, Gio, Mano, and Mandingo ethnic groups. The government in 2005 ordered Gios and Manos to abandon Mandingo homes in the northwest that they occupied during the civil war; they refused, and a court case ensued. Police, mainly at checkpoints, occasionally extort money and goods from citizens. The treatment of women varies by ethnic group, religion, and social status. Many women continue to suffer from physical abuse and traditional societal discrimination, despite constitutionally guaranteed equality. During the civil war, women and girls were often abducted as laborers and sex slaves, while others joined rebel groups or militias to protect themselves. The UN Development Program said about two out of three Liberians-mostly women and children-had suffered some form of sexual violence during the war. Women have the right to inherit land and property. The former transitional government strengthened existing rape laws. .:: Women Leaders In Africa : Liberia In Perspective ::.

Area: 99,067 sq km (38,250 sq miles) Languages: English, Sixteen (16) Indigenous languages Major Religions: Christianity, Islam, Indigenous Beliefs Life Expectancy: 41 years (men), 43 years (women) (UN) Monetary Unit: One (1) Liberian dollar (L$) = One hundred (100) cents Main Exports: Diamonds, Iron Ore, Rubber, Timber, Coffee, Cocoa Per Capita Income: US $110 (World Bank, 2005) The History of Liberia: Liberia was founded by free African-Americans and freed slaves from the United States in 1820. The first group of immigrants called Americo-Liberians established a settlement in Christopolis on February 6, 1820. Christopolis was later renamed Monrovia after the U.S. President James Monroe. The Re-Settlement of Freed Slaves The arrival of more freed slaves from the United States lead to the formation of more settlements in Liberia and the independence of the Republic of Liberia on 26th July, 1847.

The re-settlement of the freed slaves was undertaken by the American Colonization Society (ACS) which consisted of white clergmen, abolitionists and slave owners. The society was founded in 1816 by Robert Finley, a Presbyterian minister. Over ten thousand (10,000) African-Americans and several thousand Africans from interdicted alve ships were resettled between 1821 and 1867. The ACS governed the Commonwealth of Liberia until its independence in 1847. Opposition from the Indigenous People Although the Americo-Liberian settlers had been successfully transported to a new location in Liberia, their actual settlement and integration into the Liberian community was met with stiff and sometimes violent opposition from indigenous Africans. This was due mainly to the fact that the natives of the land had been excluded from citizenship in the new Republic until 1904. In addition, much of the Liberian territory was taken over by French and British colonists. Early Governance In Liberia The system of government and the constitution of Liberia was modeled on that of the United States.

The True Whig Party (TWP) dominated all sectors of Liberia from independence until 12th April, 1980 when indigenous Liberian Master Seargent Samuel K. Doe staged a coup d'etat. President William R. Tolbert and several government officials were executed. The formation of the People's Redemption Council (PRC) marked the end of the one-party system of rule. As a result of the ethnocentrism that plagued Doe's government, ethnic tensions in the country were high. This resulted in a number of conflicts between the politically and militarily dominant Krahns and other ethnic groups in the country. After the elections in October 1985, there was an increase in human rights abuses, corruption and ethnic tensions. This period of time was also marked by a low standard of living. A coup d'etat against Doe's government was attempted by former Army Commanding Gen. Thomas Quiwonkpa on November 12, 1985. However it was repelled by the Armed Forces of Liberia. Quiwonkpa was later executed in Monrovia. Despite Doe's poor human rights record and questionable democratic credentials, he retained close relations with Washington.

As a result, Liberia enjoyed considerable U.S. financial support. Master Seargent Samuel K. Doe Source: Wikipedia Profile: Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - BBC News BBC News Profile: Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 7 October 2011 Close share panel Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mrs Sirleaf hopes her 2005 poll victory encourages other women in Africa to go for high political office Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, 72, known as the "Iron Lady" by her supporters, has been named as one of three joint winners of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. The award comes six years after she became Africa's first elected female head of state following the end of Liberia's 14-year civil war. It also comes just days before she stands for re-election, despite initially promising she would only seek one term. While out campaigning, the diminutive grandmother figure is often dwarfed by her party officials and bodyguards but over a political career spanning almost 30 years she has earned her steely nickname. She was imprisoned in the 1980s for criticising the military regime of Samuel Doe and then backed Charles Taylor's rebellion before falling out with him.

It would have been much easier for her to quit politics and sit at home like others have done but she has never given up Liberian analyst After beat her in the 1997 presidential election, she was charged with treason, prompting her to return to exile. In 2009, Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended that she be barred from holding public office for 30 years for her role in backing Mr Taylor, who is currently on trial for war crimes in The Hague. She has ignored the ruling but has apologised for backing Mr Taylor. One veteran of Liberia's political scene said Mrs Sirleaf's nickname comes from her iron will and determination. "It would have been much easier for her to quit politics and sit at home like others have done but she has never given up," he said. 'Don't change pilots' She won the 2005 election run-off even though she faced probably the best known Liberian - former football star George Weah.

The story so far: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Born: 1938 1997: Lost elections to Charles Taylor, returned to exile 2005: Defeated former football star George Weah in election run-off 2011: Won Nobel Peace Prize, seeks re-election Despite the popular appeal of her opponent, analysts say she won because of background as a development economist. Mrs Sirleaf has held a string of international financial positions, from minister of finance in 1979 to Africa director at the United Nations Development Programme. So many people felt she was well placed to rebuild Liberia's shattered economy. Since becoming president, she has cancelled and renegotiated a $1bn contract with the world's largest steel company, Arcelor Mittal, which has since started iron ore production in the north east. Another $2.6bn iron ore concession agreement was entered into between the government and China Union, a consortium of Chinese companies. But she says that her work has not finished, which is why she changed her mind and decided to seek re-election. "When the plane hasn't landed yet, don't change the pilots," her posters say.

Some poor Liberians complain that their lives have not changed much since Mrs Sirleaf became president. Many educated Liberians - and members of the old elite descended from freed American slaves - gave Mrs Sirleaf their backing in 2005. 'Motherly sensitivity' While men continue to dominate life in rural areas of Liberia, in the cities, some women and some gender-sensitive men felt it was time the country had a female leader - after a succession of men had brought the country to ruins. Mrs Sirleaf said she wanted to become president in order "to bring motherly sensitivity and emotion to the presidency" as a way of healing the wounds of war. Throughout her campaign, she has said that if she won, it would encourage women across Africa to seek high political office. She constantly stresses her commitment to the fight against corruption and after returning from exile, she served as head of the Governance Reform Commission set up as part of the deal to end Liberia's civil war in 2003. She resigned that post to contest the presidency, criticising the transitional government's inability to fight corruption. However, her opponents now make the same claims about her administration and even accused her allies of buying votes ahead of Tuesday's re-election - charges they strongly deny.

On her father's side she is descended from a traditional chief, while her mother's father was a German trader. She was married aged 17 to James Sirleaf but they later divorced. She is the mother of four sons and has six grandchildren.

Question: In 2005 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf defeated ex-footballer George Weah to become the first female president of which African country?
Answer: Liberia